People's Choice Awards get writers strike makeover

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - And the winner is ... on videotape
only. Producers of the People's Choice Awards, an annual
televised coronation of favorite TV and film stars chosen by
the public, said on Wednesday the upcoming show will be
presented in a new prerecorded "magazine"-style format because
of the Hollywood writers strike.

Announcement of the change came a day after the Writers
Guild of America said it would refuse to grant special waivers
to allow organizers of the more prestigious Oscars and Golden
Globe Awards to hire union writers for their shows.

The usual live format for the People's Choice Awards, which
would have been held at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, with
winners taking the stage to accept their awards as announced,
has been scrapped, along with the traditional red carpet.

Instead, the two-hour CBS broadcast on January 8 will
consist of host Queen Latifah appearing in prerecorded
segments, introducing a string of video clips of nominees and
winners, who will be contacted in advance to tape thank-you
speeches.

The make-over of the 34-year-old awards gala was prompted
by difficulties posed by studios' labor dispute with the WGA,
whose members are barred from working on any show considered a
"struck production" by the union.

A number of stars also have publicly expressed reservations
about the prospect of crossing picket lines to attend awards
shows, including the Golden Globes on January 13 and the film
industry's highest honors, the Oscars on February 24.

NOT FOR THE OSCARS

Organizers of both those events have said their shows would
go on somehow, with or without the Writers Guild's blessing.
Continued...